Organ-coupler



(No Model.)

F. STONE.

ORGAN GOUPLER. No. 353,895. Patented Dec. '7, 1886.

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levers and the packings being simply confined in the longitudinalgrooves f. A plain top plate or vencer, A2, preferably of the same widthas the channeled board, and extending throughout thelength of thecoupler, is then fixed to the board A', covering the bearing felts orpackings I, for confining and incasing the shafts or straight portionsof the leverwires, so that a bar having a plain smooth exterior both topand bottom is produced,with the wires passing through the bar andlightly pressing the felt I upon their surfaces,so as to give slightfriction at the bearings to hold the levers steady, but not so as tointerfere with their free action.

The plate or veneer A2 may be fixed to the part A by gluing it on, or bymeans of screws, nails, or other suitable fastenings. I prefer,however', to glue the said parts together.

In couplers as heretofore constructed the coupling-levers have each beenattached to the bar by means of independent bearings or fastenings foreach lever, or for each end of each lever, thus making a number ofparts, and requiring many operations and considerable labor to constructand assemble the parts in manufacturing the couplers, whereas by myinvention the several bearings of the entire series of levers are madeby two continuous packing-strips, and the entire series of levers areconncd by the single plate A2.

Along the rear edge of the support-bar A is a hinging-strip, M, by whichthe coupler is attached to the action-frame of the instrument. Saidstrip I provide with aY series of slots or recesses, m, corresponding tothe spacings of the pitman, and the arms or rearwardly-offsettingportions bof the several levers B project through said slots, and arethereby retained in proper relation to each other, and longitudinalsliding movement of the wires in their bearings is prevented, and thefree action up and down of the rearends, b', is permitted. Thehinging-strip being continuous gives proper adjustment to all of theseries of levers B by the single operation of fixing 'it in place. Thestrip M can be attached to the support bar by a continuous hinge, m2, offabric, or by small metal hinges at intervals. The strip M may be fixedin position on theinstrument by means of screws, nails, glue, or otherfastenings, as desired. The coupler, when thus hinged'to theactionframe, is brought into operative position by elevating the frontedge ot' the bar by any suitable means and substantially in the ordinarymanner heretofore ernployed with couplers of this class.

Alf desired, the channels d can be formed in the under side of the boardA, thelevers being introduced into the channels from below and the'veneer or covering piece fixed on the bottom instead of on the top ofthe channeled board.

Among the advantages incident to my invention may be mentioned thegreater facility in manufacture, as there are few parts, and

the channels for the levers can be formed quickly and simply, andthecontinuouslongitudinal grooves and packing strips permit of all ofthe bearings for the series being conveniently made at once instead ofmaking a number of separate bearings for the levers. A single top plateor veneer confines theentire series of both levers and packings, whilethe single back strip, M, which is required for hinging, also givesadjustment location of all the levers to their proper relativepositions, and confines them iiomlongitudinal movement in their bearingswithout an extra piece. The levers being inclosed within the support-barin the manner shown prevents an accumulation of dust in the bearings.The top plate makes a neat smooth finish, while it also strengthens andstiffens the bar. This construction of the couplerbar is thinner andnarrower than the couplers heretofore in. use, there are no projectingportions, the barbeing plain and smooth externally, and consequently thecoupler occupies less space in the organ, thus giving compactness to theaction.

The fabric hinge m2 covers the topsof the recesses m, and serves toprevent the levers swinging up far enough to allow their front ends tocatch under the key-buttons C, as is sometimes the case with othercouplers.

Vhat I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is*

1. In an organ-coupler, the combination, with the series of wirecoupling-levers, having their ends b and b bent as shown, of asupporting-bar composed of a thin board having a series of paralleldiagonal channels of suiiicient depth to receive the wire formedtherein, within which the shaft or body portion of the lever-wires isinclosed, and a thin veneer covering said channels from side to sideofthe bar, and conning the wires therein throughout their straightportion, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a series of torsional coupling-levers, of asupporting-bar having a series of diagonal channels, and a continuoushingingpiece provided with a series of openings for longitudinallyconfining the several levers in the series, joined by a flexibleconnection with the supporting-bar, substantially as set forth.

3. An organ-coupler having a series of torsional acting wirecoupling-levers, the shafts or straightportion of which'areinclosedwithin an externally-plain supporting-bar, within which are disposed aseries of bearings formed by strips of fabric extending across saidwires and conned by grooves against lateral displacement, and ahinging-strip having openings through which the wires extend, as setforth.

4. An organ-coupler wherein the supportbar is provided with longitudinalinternal grooves, f, containing continuous upper and under packingstripsof felt or similar fabric, as I and h, extending across and formingbear- IOO IIO

torsional action Within said diagonal channels, v the feltpacking-strips I. disposed in said lonr 5 gitudinal grooves, the plateA21 covering and confining said packing-strips and levers, and therecessed hinging-bar M, all constructed and arranged substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

- Witness my hand this 19th day of June, A. D. 1886.

FRANK STONE.

Witnesses:

CHAs. H. BURLEIGH, ELLA P. BLENUs.

